The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-07-15
Che QntelliIQettrar
wuEELINo, W. VA. JULY 10. 1887.


cago Tribune writes enthusiastically OF the
progress that colorsd scholars have made
md arc making in the three leading insti-
tutlons OF learning devoted to pupils Of
the African race in tha! now famous cen
ire Of education. There were 1900 Of
them in these institutions tho Last year,
and their range Of studies embraced the
classics and sciences, as we'll as Normal
training and instruction in handicraft.
Their examinations and Commencement
exercises we're moot gratifying, and show.
cd unmiatakably the native capacity that
Is in the race to reach a high standard Of
education. IA
This good account from Nashville cor.
responds with the reports that were lately
submitted to the educational "Chautau-
qua" held at FoItresa Monroe, Va, where
educators from different parts Of the South
asserted in most decided terms that tho
colored acholoys were credit to the race.
Special mention was made OF the work
beingdoneat Tuskeges Normal chool, Ala,
where a superior colored man named
Booker T. Washington, who was partly
educated in the schools Of West Virginia,
is in charge.
Mr.. Washington writes to the 1ETELLf.
aENcER that he is especially seeking to
make handicrait industry and the incul.
cation OF thrifty and economic ideas the
special feature Of instruction. In this he
is doing tho wiaeet possible work for his
race. Tho colored people Of the United
States, North as we'll ns South, have been
given no chance to become proficient in
any department Of skilled labor. They
have been always met with race prejudice
and ruled out, and hence they have been
crowded into mental occupations in the
cities and into agriculture exclusively in
the country. To give them such instruc.
ton in the use Of tools Of all kinds as will
fit them to do mechanical work on the
plantations aud In the towns and villages
and at the Cross roads places Of the South
will be to confer boon on both races.
And, allied with this, to Train girls to sew
well, and to make any garment that a
white woman can make, and 10 mako it
just as neatly and well, and to teach them
how to Improve the abominsble methods
Of cooking in the South, and to Undue
them with esthetical tastes in housekcep-
ing, all this will work wondrous changes
in few years in the status OF the colored
race. This is the work for which large
sums Of money have been given at the
North by philanthropic men and women
who do not believe that the Almighty has
hopeleasly doomed the colored race to
ssridom, but, on tho contrary, that He has
endowed them with unmistakable powers
for much wider sphere OF usefulness than
they have ever yet filled.
After all, such schools as we hayo refer
red to will il time work out the solution
Of the political problem in the South. The
ignorant and the thriitless negro is one
sort Of man as citizen and voter, and
the intelligent and thrifty negro another
and much moro desirable and influential
factor in politics. The former can not
mako his way into either usefulness 0,
prominence in the South, and will always
occupy back asst, and often times no
seat at all, whilo the other will naturally
aud resstlsssly opan way for himself
10 influence in any sphere in that sec.
ton. ), {:,775 2, s
Schools that turn out every year in tie
South contingent Of representatives Of
tho African race who have trained CO.
pacity for neasness, cleanliness and eff.
cheney, in addition to their general educa'
ton, and who arc grounded in principles
Of seli-respecting morality Hs regards hon:
esty and .trnshfulnese, will do more to as'
aure The ultimate politicsl rights OF tina.
. race than sny law OF Congress can ever
accomplish. 81
We have tried congressional enactments
ia the past, and relied too much on them,
and without yielding IN iota OF the matter
Of abstract rights which they were passed
to protect, it may be aaid that the utter
crudeness OF the negro race aB race at
the close Of tho war and since haa been
the main reason why they have failed.
The experimental stage Of freedom has
shown this much to the negro himneli,
and he is now alive as he never was be.
fore to tho necessity Of building bette,
foundation for his citizenship. All he
needs is to DO well assured Of tho con.
tinued moral and political support Of The
North during the further continuance Of
this experimental stage.
The establishment OF these advanced
schoolu, mainly established by Northern
money, and the enlargement and improve.
ment Of the common (very common in.
deed) schools OF the South, arc the real
instrumentalitles by which and through
y which tho negro must reach whatever Of
political influence the future has in store
for him. n n *
Y! III Keeping Up tho Licls. 4 A II
5sH : Thu aditor NJ tho TSrHI1 I1rScep Ia n uife